Murray Beach, has sailed extensively for the past 18 years, but learned to sail on his dinghy as a young teen.  He love offshore sailing, especially short handed or single handed. He's raced to Bermuda many many times, and cruises all over New England regularly.

Marie Rogers is first black woman commodore of Los Angeles Yacht Club, honored with 2021 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. Learn more about this person who says, “Sailing is an amazing metaphor of how to get along.” She’s a sailing instructor and USCG Master Mariner. Demystifying and democratizing the sport of sailing has become a passion for her. She's witnessed first hand how people thrive after gaining the training to safely take part in sailing activities. This is especially true for persons who have historically  been denied access because of gender, religion, race, and economic concerns. 

A discussion about GPS! We all use it everyday, more than we probably even realize. But is it all it's cracked up to be and will it last?  We chat with Pauline Cook, formerly a Coast Guard captain who's involved with the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation and Scott Logan, a GPS consultant and expert.

This episode of The Morning Muster Podcast is sponsored by:
Our friends Katie & Lyall at Sun Powered Yachts  who helped us expand our solar array. They’re a SunPower authorized dealer and offer both flexible  panels and fixed frame panels ranging from 50w to 410W. They’re super high efficiency solar panels, which means more power in less space. Katie & Lyall are both sailors & have lived off grid for over 8 years. They provide free consultation to help you size and build a DIY system. Check out their website for more info www.sunpoweredyachts.com and use the promocode MORSEALPHA to get 10% off their flexible panels.

Music By:
Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto - a twelve string Mexican acoustic bass - creating a distinctive hardcore Americana sound that ranges from the bare bones of solo unaccompanied singing on  Soul of the January Hills through the stripped-down voice and bajo sexto Christmas album Star in the East to the lush, multi-layered arrangements on Josh Billings Voyage, an album of northern roots American music from the imaginary village of Pumpkintown. 

What a cool episode this is. We cover a lot of topics and get into some real life saving details that you can take to your own boat and utilize.
Deb's goal is to prevent problems at sea. Brian's job is to bail you out when there are no other options. Each guest brings a different perspective on emergencies, how to prevent them, and how to respond.

Some of what we talk about:
Station Bills
Effective Drills
Dehydration & Seasickness
Helicoptor Rescue in the Skiing Mountains
Rescuing Diabetic Fisherman
Assessing Patients
Personal Locator Beacons AIS vs GPS
InReach
What to put in the Ditch Bag
Tall Ship Concordia
Life Raft Life Failures
Tall ship Bounty and Yacht Rebel Heart
Wearing PFD's
Reading USCG & NTSB Reports
Pan Pan VHF Calls
Rescuing a Fishing Vessel and Dewatering Pumps
Medical Mysteries
Cold Water Acclimation
Rescuing a Sailor in the Bahamas
Paradoxical Undressing

This episode of The Morning Muster Podcast is sponsored by:
Our friends Katie & Lyall at Sun Powered Yachts  who helped us expand our solar array. They’re a SunPower authorized dealer and offer both flexible  panels and fixed frame panels ranging from 50w to 410W. They’re super high efficiency solar panels, which means more power in less space. Katie & Lyall are both sailors & have lived off grid for over 8 years. They provide free consultation to help you size and build a DIY system. Check out their website for more info www.sunpoweredyachts.com and use the promocode MORSEALPHA to get 10% off their flexible panels.

Music By:
Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto - a twelve string Mexican acoustic bass - creating a distinctive hardcore Americana sound that ranges from the bare bones of solo unaccompanied singing on  Soul of the January Hills through the stripped-down voice and bajo sexto Christmas album Star in the East to the lush, multi-layered arrangements on Josh Billings Voyage, an album of northern roots American music from the imaginary village of Pumpkintown. 

What a fun episode about R2AK and all the ins and outs of racing, sailing, living, pooping, etc...

Stage 1 Race start: June 13, 2022, Port Townsend, Washington
Stage 2 Race start: June 16, 2022, Victoria, BC
Application deadline: Tax Day baby! April 15th

The inside passage to Alaska has been paddled by native canoes since time immemorial, sailing craft for centuries, and after someone found gold in the Klondike the route was jammed with steamboats full of prospectors elbowing each other out of the way for the promise of fortune.

It’s in the spirit of tradition, exploration, and the lawless self-reliance of the gold rush that Race to Alaska was born. R2AK is the first of its kind and North America’s longest human and wind powered race, and currently the largest cash prize for a race of its kind.

This isn’t for everyone

It’s like the Iditarod, on a boat, with a chance of drowning, being run down by a freighter, or eaten by a grizzly bear. There are squalls, killer whales, tidal currents that run upwards of 20 miles an hour, and some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.

Our Guests:
Katy Stewart has completed the race 4 times. This time she's competing solo.
Jeff Oakleaf is a newbie to the race, sailing on Rough Duck with a crew of 4.
Jake Beattie is the co-founder of the R2AK.

Sponsored By:
For over 160 years, Edson Marine has been helping sailors with their sailboat steering systems and making sure they are safe for their adventures on the water. From maintenance and replacement parts for your sailboats steering system and pedestal to premium boating accessories, find what you need to get your sailboat in shipshape. Not every day is full of sun and a light breeze; Edson has your back when the weather turns. Their passion for quality will bring you home safely. For more information on Edson Marine and their products, visit www.edsonmarine.com.

Music By:
Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto - a twelve string Mexican acoustic bass - creating a distinctive hardcore Americana sound that ranges from the bare bones of solo unaccompanied singing on  Soul of the January Hills through the stripped-down voice and bajo sexto Christmas album Star in the East to the lush, multi-layered arrangements on Josh Billings Voyage, an album of northern roots American music from the imaginary village of Pumpkintown. 

A lovely chat about the life of living, cruising and working. The struggles, the rewards and the freedom.
Pat has been on the go for decades! He runs http://wandererfinancial.com — you can sign up and work with him to help realize your financial independence and cruising dreams. Cindy works in the entertainment industry and is making the most of her career while she sails with her family.

This episode is brought to you by Edson Marine.
For over 160 years, Edson Marine has been helping sailors with their sailboat steering systems and making sure they are safe for their adventures on the water.  From maintenance and replacement parts for your sailboats steering system and pedestal to premium boating accessories, find what you need to get your sailboat in shipshape.  Not every day is full of sun and a light breeze; Edson has your back when the weather turns. Their passion for quality will bring you home safely.  For more information on Edson Marine and their products, visit www.edsonmarine.com.

An in depth discussion with 3 of our students, Daphne, Chris and Brandon plus our mate, Angela and that guy Ben. Teresa hosted and gave us all a hard time. We discuss the camaraderie and the group dynamics aboard a smallish boat and how to feed the diverse dietary requirements. We talk about keeping things organized and the benefits of preparation. We conclude there’s alot of value in dividing jobs and maintaining consistency. and that there are always days when things are challenging aboard a boat. There’s an “Aha!” moment, when we discuss how there’s plenty of wind and fog in Maine. We decided that we all need wax pencils. We recall the feeling of navigating blind in the fog, and then finding the green can that looms silently out of the fog! What a great feeling that is! It’s confirmed – Morse Alpha Instructors have a lot of patience! During this expedition we rendezvoused with the Maine Windjammers at the Wooden Boat School and enjoyed sailing amongst them as they dropped sail and anchored together. We wondered why is there always poop talk on boats. Sailing out past the sight of land for the first time. is really spectacular… one of the best experiences of life. The Coast of Maine has beautiful geography and wildlife, and of course – lobster pots! But with constant vigilance you can easily avoid them. In Maine, there’s also rocks, lots of them, they’re like a minefield. Maine offers a unique experience to pack alot of learning into a short amount of time. We stood anchor watch when the wind picked up in a dicey anchorage. We rotated through the 45 minute watches very effortlessly, and quietly! We used the barometer to keep tabs on the pressure. We triangulated our position with lights ashore and used the radar to ensure we maintained a constant distance off the islands. Angela the mate reconnects with her first schooner, the AJ Meerwald, when we anchored near them one night. After the expedition, Chris & Brandon went back to their boat and were so excited to get out and go sailing with their new found skills and understanding. All of us left with a renewed sense of confidence, and alot of new skills. We actively sailed Rocinante, and time passed so quickly, because we were all so engaged.

Produced by Teresa and Ben Carey, Angela McIntyre is our Assistant Producer and the music is by Tim Eriksen, Ben's brother.

You can subscribe to The Morning Muster wherever you get your podcasts, or visit MorseAlpha.com. You can also find us on instagram @morsealphaexpeditions

Stay Found People!

You can find more information about our guests:
Shemaya Laurel's blog www.sailingauklet.com.
Adam Cove can be found in instagram @adam.cove.

This episode of The Morning Muster Podcast is sponsored by:
Our friends Katie & Lyall at Sun Powered Yachts  who helped us expand our solar array. They’re a SunPower authorized dealer and offer both flexible  panels and fixed frame panels ranging from 50w to 410W. They’re super high efficiency solar panels, which means more power in less space. Katie & Lyall are both sailors & have lived off grid for over 8 years. They provide free consultation to help you size and build a DIY system. Check out their website for more info www.sunpoweredyachts.com and use the promocode MORSEALPHA to get 10% off their flexible panels.

Music by:Tim Eriksen

Barry Kennedy has sailed thousands of blue water miles and in the far regions of the world... 2 seasons in Antarctica. He's headed to the Arctic this year aboard his new boat. We're talking a little bit about offshore boats, gear choices, upgrades and the process of upgrading/refitting. We touch on ideas for best boat design for offshore, sail choices, rigging for simplicity, deck layouts, layouts down below, self steering, and more. Plus the difficulty of keeping yourself on track and not get overwhelmed during refits by budget and time.

This episode of The Morning Muster Podcast is sponsored by:
Our friends Katie & Lyall at Sun Powered Yachts  who helped us expand our solar array. They’re a SunPower authorized dealer and offer both flexible  panels and fixed frame panels ranging from 50w to 410W. They’re super high efficiency solar panels, which means more power in less space. Katie & Lyall are both sailors & have lived off grid for over 8 years. They provide free consultation to help you size and build a DIY system. Check out their website for more info www.sunpoweredyachts.com and use the promocode MORSEALPHA to get 10% off their flexible panels.

Music by:Tim Eriksen

A fun episode with a great group if sailors who shared a special expedition from Bermuda to Rockland in July 2021 with us. We talk real candidly about about romance of life offshore and the challenges, like waking up for watch, heaving-to so close to land, using the head, cooking underway, going to sleep, steering in big swells, and dodging lightening. Real people, real sailing.

This episode is sponsored by:
Our friends Katie & Lyall at Sun Powered Yachts who helped us expand our solar array. They’re a SunPower authorized dealer and offer both flexible  panels and fixed frame panels ranging from 50w to 410W. They’re super high efficiency solar panels, which means more power in less space. Katie & Lyall are both sailors & have lived off grid for over 8 years. They provide free consultation to help you size and build a DIY system. Check out their website for more info www.sunpoweredyachts.com and use the promocode MORSEALPHA to get 10% off their flexible panels.

Music by: Tim Eriksen

We dive deep into the boat selection process with Pippa Turton and Mike Firestone. We consider and discuss: what makes a good first boat, what size makes sense, considering cruising plans and goals, assessing your own skills, budget considerations, sailing before refit,  priority features, and more.

Pippa Turton is a long time RYA sailing instructor, who's sailed thousands of miles on a variety of boats in Europe and Caribbean. She currently runs Girls Go Sailing aims, which aims to build confidence in female sailors through good training, and experience.

Mike Firestone is a marine surveyor, who's been in the business for decades. He's sailed many boats and surveyed thousands more!
 

Episode is sponsored by Beta Marine
For over 20 years Beta Marine has been providing smooth, reliable marine diesels. These are 100% mechanical engines, built on the Kubota block, with widely available parts and a 5 year warranty. Beta Marine USA has a new online parts store; plus: saildrives, alternators, custom mounts and feathering props. betamarinenc.com

 
Music by Tim Eriksen